Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-11-21
For One Hundred and Forty Pas
senSerS Of the Dutch
Steamer Scholton,
Sunk by Collision in the Straits Of Dover
by Steamer Rosa May.
Vivid Accounts of the Heart Rendine
Scenes and the Awful Particulars.
LONDON. Nov. 20

LONDON, oY. 20
The Dutch steamer W. A. Scholton, Capt
Iaat, which left Rotterdam yesterday fore
noon for New York, was sunk by collision
with the steamer Resa May of Hartlepool, a
eleven o'clock last night, ten miles off Do
yer.
The Scholton carried two hundred ant
thirty passengers and crew. The steame
Ebro of Sunderland, rescued ninety of tn,
crew and passengers and landed them at the
Sailors Home in Dover. One hundred an,
forty passengers are missing.
One passenger and child of the part,
brought to Dover, were found dead from ex
posure. 1t is hoped that passing vessels res
cued the missing. The Scholtons masts ar,
visible from the Dover pier.
Boats have left Dover bound in all tlirec.
tions, for the purpose of saving life anC
property if possible
/ The Rosa May is anchored OFF Ramsgate
with her bows stove. Up to 2.50 2. NJ y
bodies from the Scholton had been landed al
Dover.
At the time of the accident "a dense fog
prevailed. The Scholton was struck on her
port bow by the Rosa May. Immediatel,
after the shock ths Schottons passengers, al
of whom had retAGd for the night, rushed OF
deck in their night gowns.
The boats were promptly ordered lowered
but it was found that only two were availa-
Bile. The three others were useless and
were not lowered. The water rushed swift,
through a hole in the bow. terrible scent
then ensued. The panic stricken passengers
uttered piercing shreks and many fell upon
their knees and prayed aloud. Little chill
dren clung to their mothers who themselves
were shrleking with terror. The officers
cool and self possessed remained on the
bridge to the last. Several persons procured
life belts and leaped into the sea.
Within twenty minutes after the shock tn,
Schoton was engulfed All who put on life
belts foated, and were rescued by boats from
the steamer Ebro, which cruised around un
til A. NJ.
Many of the rescued had lost their wives
husbands, brothers and sisters. The surviv
ors were supplied with clothes and every.
thing possible done to ensure their comfort
The passengers accounts differ regarding
the circumstances. The reports of the off
GERS of the Scholton clash with those of the
officers of the Rosa May. Some of the pas
sengers state that an evening of merriment
had Just closed. Most of the passengers had
retired to their hunks and only few were
in the saloon when the tremendous crash was
heard on the port bow.
1t is impossible that the collision could
have occurred by the Schoton's striking an
anchored vessel. The second mate of the
Scholton reports that he was on deck when
he saw an unknown steamer coming through
the fog. Before anything could be done the
Scholton was struck in the fore rigging and
port bow. The other vessel backed off and
disappeared. Within twenty minutes the
SchoIton SINK.
The captain of the Rosa May states that
his vessel was run into while anchored
southeast of South Sandhead by an unknown
steamer Finding the Rosa May was dam
aged he proceeded to Dover Roads where the
vessel is now docked. She was laden with
rnal for St Nazuire.
According TO the latest statement there
wore 90 passenrers on board the Scholten,
leaving 1872 drowned and missing. The
Scholteu lies 4 miles from Admiralty pier, in
position dangerous to navigation. A buoy
and light are now placed at the wreck
The bodies at Dover are distorted show
inc that death was caused bv violence not by
drowniny one of the saved. Monte Gallo
from ryrol states that the scenes on the
sinking ship we're terrible. The steerage
nassengprs were stricken with terror and ran
about the deck in wild confusion. The cap
tain tried his utmost To restore order without
effect: the passengers rushed for the boats
and if was with the greatest difficulty thai
rho officers could keen them from Jumping
into and sinking them.
Gallo was in the water hours when taker
ont and was greatly exhausted owing to the
intense cold and his efforts to keep atloat
After the vessel sank cries of persons in
distress couId be heard for long time in al
directions
Geo Moore. a passenger states that wher
the crash occurred a general rush was made
for the deck.
~ was told that nothing serious had oc
cnrred. but secured a life belt There were
s;x English Messengers on board. One CIR
osked ns to keen in A group that the English
m;ybt On down together. | was in the water
. long time before being picked up. Wher
the Scbolten sank the cries were heart rend
;na rho Cant of the Ebro the rescuin.
vassol behaved noblv. He had deck loaC
,f t;mber which he threw overheard. Thi
;ul;c;ous act saved many lives. Only TIVE
of the Scbolten's boats were lowered as tn,
nthrrs couldn't be got atrift | don't know
,rhether il was due to anv fault on board
Tho vessel listed over so much all the boat
could not he dropped.
pon,'I, rushed along in greatest excitemen
al, ,rying to oct a place in the two boat,
I,,,.araJ Tba scare and disorder prevented
MANY from being saved. The water was
frrezing cold, which hastened the death o
- -. s,,,l.,,;rer ,b.m noverless"
'''a, C6as Davis of Sed Hill, Jersey says til,
ne, hna,s anneared as if thev had not beer
msed @ for a long time. and had to be choppe,
orar Win ayes I called to those on tn,
hr;jae IN fire rockets, but it was long TIM
80 tbev did There was the creates
Infusion. "onf the ship was right over on tn,
mort side before they fired the rockets.
r,oi,ad ill the water touched the boilers
Zinc ant the fires. then got hold of tn
he'll but Dutch sailor snatched it. w
were all mixed together, foreigners AM